Sustainability issues in freshfruggies: hyperlocal fruits and vegetables delivery model
Publication date: 13 September 2019
Abstract
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes are as follows: identify the challenges and opportunities in an ecommerce start-up B; understand the issues of operational sustainability of ecommerce start-up; evaluate the sustainability of hyperlocal models to ecommerce start up; and implement innovative solutions to address the issues of e-business models.
Case overview/synopsis
It was the cold winter evening of December 2016 when Puja, a cofounder of freshfruggies, an e-commerce start-up company, made up her mind after meeting her cofounders of reviving the Venture “freshfruggies” as a Hyperlocal Fruits and Vegetables Delivery Company in a non-metro town of Jalandhar in Punjab province of India. She contemplated the poor performance of the company in the past which prepared her for the better planning and execution of operational sustainability of freshfruggies. Puja took the critical decision of revival as she planned to develop the right business strategy for ensuring continuity. freshfruggies had been experiencing constant losses since its inception, and the issues of its sustainability needed attention. It was a dream project for all the co-founders who started with the vision to make freshfruggies a popular ecommerce model of hyperlocal fruits and vegetables delivery in the happening city of Jalandhar. However, lack of trained manpower, weak digital marketing strategy and lack of operating efficiency emerged as major issues of operational sustainability in freshfruggies. The co-founders outlined the possible options to revive freshfruggies after deliberating upon the challenges faced. The choices were limited and time was running out along with finances. The options included either changing the business model to a hybrid retail model or to continue as an ecommerce company after sorting out demand and supply issues. There was an urgent need to take a decision in this regard.
Complexity academic level
This case focuses on undergraduate and graduate courses in entrepreneurship and operations management courses.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.
Subject code
CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Disclaimer: This case is written solely for educational purposes and is not intended to represent successful or unsuccessful managerial decision-making. The authors may have disguised names, financial and other recognizable information to protect confidentiality.
Citation
Arora, A. and Singh, S. (2019), "Sustainability issues in freshfruggies: hyperlocal fruits and vegetables delivery model", , Vol. 9 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/EEMCS-10-2018-0222
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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